The Schramms

Guitarist, singer, and songwriter Dave Schramm launched the Schramms in 1987 as a vehicle for blending pop, folk-rock, and alt-country with offbeat humor and sharp insight. Schramm’s guitar playing, simultaneously melodic and angular, anchors the group’s music, yet he and his bandmates shape an overall tone that feels both jagged and inviting, its performative warmth matching the understated depth of his songwriting. Several of his compositions set Emily Dickenson poems to music across the band’s albums, forming an unexpected yet effective pairing. The direct, unadorned style of 1990's Walk to Delphi and 1998's Dizzy Spell later yielded to more refined and exploratory recording methods once producer J.D. Foster entered the picture for 2000's 100 Questions and 2019's Omnidirectional.

Raised on Long Island, Dave Schramm first gained notice after enlisting in a later incarnation of Human Switchboard, the Ohio cult act that had moved to New York following its only album, 1981's Who's Landing in My Hangar? He remained until the group split in 1985, later collaborating with frontman Bob Pfeifer on the 1987 solo release After Words and supporting former Individuals member Jon Klages. Soon after Human Switchboard disbanded, Schramm joined Yo La Tengo, contributing to their debut single “The River of Water” b/w “A House Is Not a Motel” and their first album, 1986's Ride the Tiger; in the reissue’s liner notes, YLT’s Ira Kaplan observed that “Dave’s guitar playing is inarguably the best thing about the record.” He parted ways amicably after Ride the Tiger and began developing songs with ex-Human Switchboard drummer Ron Metz and bassist Terry Karydes, who had played in an early version of Yo La Tengo. When her bass was stolen, Karydes switched to keyboards; Mike Lewis, another former Yo La Tengo member, took over on bass, while guitarist Todd Novak and saxophonist Pete Linzell completed the lineup. They initially called themselves the Walking Wounded, but after learning another California band already used the name, they jokingly performed as the Schramms on a brief tour, and the moniker remained. OKra Records offered them studio time, resulting in the 1989 release of Walk to Delphi; however, distributor Rough Trade collapsed weeks later, halting domestic distribution. The group found stronger support in Germany, where Normal Records issued the follow-up, Rock, Paper, Scissors, Dynamite, in 1992. Between those two albums Schramm guested on Yo La Tengo’s 1990 semi-acoustic effort Fakebook.

Lewis, Novak, and Linzell departed before the second album appeared; bassist Al Greller joined, and Schramm continued without saxophone or second guitar. Keyboardist Karydes exited in 1993, replaced by George Usher, and this configuration recorded 1994's Little Apocalypse and 1996's Dizzy Spell. Little Apocalypse came out in the States via East Side Digital, which reissued Walk to Delphi the next year and finally brought Rock, Paper, Scissors, Dynamite to American audiences; Dizzy Spell appeared on the fledgling alt-country imprint Checkered Past. For 2000's 100 Questions the Schramms assembled yet another lineup—keyboardist Andy Burton replacing Usher and second guitarist Jon Graboff, a frequent guest, becoming a permanent member. The album marked their first outside production, handled by J.D. Foster, with guest vocals from Syd Straw, Richard Buckner, and Jeb Loy Nichols.

A European tour after 100 Questions included a Regensburg, Germany date captured on the 2003 live album 2000 Weiss Beers from Home. That year the Schramms also toured North America alongside alt-country singer/songwriter Laura Cantrell, both opening and backing her. By then Schramm had already built a reputation for session work on albums by the Replacements, Freedy Johnston, Richard Buckner, and Soul Asylum. Throughout the 2000s and 2010s he concentrated on supporting other artists, especially singer/songwriter Kate Jacobs. Besides producing and playing on several of her records, the pair founded the Radio Free Song Club, a weekly online showcase featuring contributors such as Howe Gelb, Peter Holsapple, Victoria Williams, Peter Blegvad, and Amy Rigby. In 2015 Schramm briefly rejoined Yo La Tengo to record the Fakebook-styled Stuff Like That There and joined the trio for select live dates. The Schramms limited their live activity in the 2010s, yet the core trio of Schramm, Ron Metz, and Al Greller continued developing material as schedules allowed, culminating in the 2019 release of their sixth studio album, Omnidirectional.